1. Field of the Invention
The invention herein relates to a kind of hubcap fastener structure that is simple in design and that can be installed securely to the outer axle hubs of vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Installable hubcaps are common automobile tire accessories that provide for the decorative covering of unattractive tire rim exteriors. Conventional hubcaps include rim caps, axle hub caps and spoke caps. Of these, rim caps cover the entire exterior side of the tire rim, axle hubcaps are fitted over the projecting axle ends, and spoke caps are installed over the circumferential edge of the tire rim The invention herein is an improved fastener structure for axle hubcaps, of which a conventional hubcap fastener structure is shown in FIG. 3. When a typical aluminum alloy rim (1) is installed onto the bolts (12) at the end of a vehicle axle (11), each bolt (12) is surrounded by a recessed circular area (13) for the nuts (14) to fasten the rim (1) via an axle hole (16) through which the an axle end (15) protrudes through the rim (1). The conventional hubcap (2) is often comprised of a cap (21) and fittings (211) molded as a single entity, with numerous openings (221) aligned with the are fittings (211). Furthermore, the are openings (221) are connect with the fittings (211) of sleeve mounts (22) of the cap (21), and there are a number of semicircular collars (222) positioned at equal intervals in a circular pattern. The semicircular collars (222) are positioned with the sleeve mounts (22), the forked holes (223) of the lower mounts (224) at matching intervals, with as well as a number of inner fasteners (225) and the outer bottoms (226) of fittings (227), which are also positioned in a circular pattern at equal intervals. At the same time, there are mounting springs (23) between an upper extent of the lower mounts (224) and forked holes (223) and the lower extent of the fitting mounts (227) and the inner fasteners (225). The hubcap (2) is held against the fitting mounts (227) through the elastic tension of the mounting springs (23). The fitting mounts are inserted into the recessed circular area (13) of the rim (1), with the outer bottoms (226) of the fitting mounts (227) being inserted into the recessed circular area (13) to achieve mounting.
Although the prior art mounting method of the hubcap (2) is ideal, the structure of the hubcap is quite complex, especially with regards to the forming of the collars (222), the lower mounts (224) and the fittings (227) on the sleeve mounts (22). A general wheel pattern has five holes and when multiplied by a factor of three per hole, the total number of structural elements for each hole is increased to 15 components. To manufacture all of these compoments requires complex molding processes and raises production costs. Furthermore, the installation of the fittings (211) onto the cap (21), as well as the installation of the mounting springs (23) between the lower mounts (224) and the fitting mounts (227), is very difficult. This installation process results in an excessive assembly period that is economically unfeasible, with fitting mounts (227) positioning of the into the recessed circular area (13) of the rim (1) presenting problems that affect the safety of the entire assembly.